City approves liquor license

Despite some protests from neighboring homeowners, the Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday approved a club liquor license for the Tucumcari Zia Club at its proposed location on Second Street just south of downtown.

The club's site is the former Cooper Cleaners location at 428 S. Second St. The Zia Club plans to use it as a site for live Hispanic music shows and other occasional events and use the proceeds to benefit the community, according to Jerry Lopez, one of the partners in developing the site.

The building is owned by First District Commissioner Ralph Moya, who is leasing the property to the Zia Club. Moya recused himself from the commission's vote, which was 4-0 in favor of granting the license.

While the location is zoned commercial, residents of homes near the site objected to the license due to potential for noise and drunken driving in the neighborhood.

Dorothy Dudek, who said she recently bought a home near the site, said the potential for parking problems, noise and drunken driving in the neighborhood could threaten property values in the neighborhood.

She said her attempts to circulate a petition opposing the license were met with expressions of fear for city government and lost jobs.

She also advised commissioners to "talk to the people" rather than "waiting for the people to come to them."

Another neighbor, Hector Sena, said he was resigned to accepting the club, but asked the license be confined to beer and wine.

With hard liquor, he said, "people get rowdy."

Jerry Lopez, president of the Zia Club, said he appreciated Dudek's concerns, especially since he lives "three houses down" from her.

Lopez repeated the club's main purpose is to bring New Mexico music to eastern New Mexico. Lopez has coordinated the New Mexico Music Showcase at the Tucumcari Convention Center, as well as other New Mexico music shows at the former Knights of Columbus Hall in downtown.

The Zia Club venue on Second Street, he said, would only be open occasionally for events from about 5 p.m. until 2 a.m., as allowed by state law.

Lopez said when the Zia Club hosted events at the Tucumcari Knights of Columbus hall downtown, "we never had a DUI. We never had a domestic disturbance."

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic's prohibitions on public gatherings, Lopez said earlier, the Knights of Columbus closed its downtown building and sold it to an Albuquerque concern.

Lopez said the new venue would be open only to members and guests. The club would not operate on a continuous basis and would cut off those who were showing signs of drinking too much.

If members or guests drink excessively, he said, he and other club members would instruct bartenders to cut off their drinking and arrange rides home.

Benji Torres, another of the partners, said the club's proceeds would be used to benefit mental health and youth programs.

"These are some of the things we used to do with the Knights of Columbus," he said.

Carlos Medina, a Santa Fe musician and comedian who has performed at several Zia Club events, including the New Mexico Music Showcase at the Tucumcari Convention Center, also spoke in favor of granting the liquor license.

Before the pandemic, Medina said, he had been performing in Tucumcari about once a month, and the Zia Club's new location would enable that to continue.

"Bottom line," he said, "it will mean revenue for Tucumcari."

The Zia Club was formed in 2015 to support the annual New Mexico Music Showcase in Tucumcari, Lopez said. The club lists 73 dues-paying members.

Lopez said Friday the Zia Club venue likely would open by March 1.

In other action, the commission:

• Approved adding contract days due to weather delays and holidays for the Second Street project downtown. The project now is expected to be complete by Jan. 25. The added contract days do not add to the project's $1.8 million budget. The project includes rebuilding the street's foundation, resurfacing and aesthetic improvements on sidewalks on two blocks of Second Street in downtown Tucumcari.

• Discussed problems with design elements of a seat wall that is part of the Second Street project. The wall was supposed to be built in sections, not as a single unit, and the contractor used the wrong color on the wall's concrete, some complained. Some neighboring property owners have complained of property damage that has not been repaired. City Project Manager Ralph Lopez said discussions continue with the contractor on how to remedy the seat wall. Photos of property before construction began and after completion will be used to determine damage to neighboring property, he said. City Manager Mark Martinez said he is seeking improvement in the contractor's communications with city officials.

• Approved a grant for improvements on a runway at Tucumcari Municipal Airport for $600,000 from the the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation administration. The city's share of the project costs would be $6,000, Lopez said.

• Approved leases of space on three billboards in Texas from Lamar Advertising for $18,712. The billboards are along Interstate 40 in the Texas Panhandle communities of Amarillo, Wildorado and Adrian. Martinez said the billboards will be fitted with new displays reflecting the city's new logos and branding messages.

• Re-appointed Edward Perea for a second three-year term on the board of the nonprofit McMullen Foundation, which makes charitable contributions to Quay County organizations and events.

• Agreed to hire Clint Harden as a lobbyist for the city during the 60-day session of the 2021 New Mexico Legislature that began Tuesday and is expected to end March 20. Harden will be paid $4,000 for his services. Harden, who hails from Clovis, was a Republican state senator representing District 7 from 2002 to 2012. Martinez said he recommended Harden based on his experience in lobbying for Mesalands Community College and Quay County government in previous legislative sessions.

• Authorized the Tucumcari Fire Department to seek $35,000 in grant funds from the New Mexico Department of Health under the state Emergency Medical Services Fund Act for maintenance and repairs on emergency medical service vehicles, purchase training equipment and advanced certification classes for EMS employees, and upgrade medical supplies and equipment. Fire Chief Casey Mackey said in recent years, the fire department has received less than it asked for under the EMS Act.

• Approved a contract for branding services and logo design with Leighton-Moon, an Alamogordo graphic design firm. Leighton Moon will receive up to $13,500 to produce a visitors guide, billboard designs, a city seal design, oversee the city's website, produce social media posts and graphics, a brand guide and advertising design for print and web use. Leighton Moon designed a new logo for the city that has been favorably received, Martinez said, and that led to asking them to perform other work for the city's rebranding effort.

• Approved a contract with YLAW, an Albuquerque law firm, to handle personnel-related litigation for the city for a maximum of $15,000 at a rate of $200 per hour, Martinez said.

• Approved a contract for medical director services to the city's EMS operations with Dr. Ronald Carver, a Lovington physician. Carver will be paid $600 a month in the first six months of 2021 for advisory and consultation services for the EMS operation. Carver replaces Dr. George Evetts, who announced he is stepping down this year after holding the position for many years, Martinez said.

• Approved a resolution pledging compliance with the state's Open Meetings Act, a resolution it approves annually.